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| Painter Mai Chau and exhibition viewers |
"Green dream"
I first came across Mai Chau’s paintings a long time ago at an exhibition at 3 Hoang Hoa Tham in Hue, which featured two delicately brushed oil pieces: “Tiết sương giáng” (The Frost Descent) “Dạo chơi trên xe mini” (Cruising on a Mini Bike). Years later, during the 2013 Hue Traditional Craft Festival, while immersing myself in the city's artistic spaces and activities, I could not miss his solo oil exhibition. Held at the Lieu Quan Buddhist Cultural Center in Hue, it carried a remarkably simple title: “Ước mơ xanh” (The Green Dream).
Featuring 24 oil and mixed-media paintings selected from his lifelong career and artistic estate, Mai Chau’s works seamlessly merge with the green of life.
"As long as I can still hold a paintbrush, my heart remains brimming with dreams. These dreams are projected onto the canvas through shades of hopeful green, which is why an exhibition by an aging artist bears such a youthful title: The Green Dream," painter Mai Chau shared back then.
Painted from his deep contemplation, his works bear witness to the painter-Buddhist’s journey of "văn, tư, tu" (reflection, contemplation, and cultivation) — unfolding stories of both faith and life.
Driven by a passion for colors, Mai Chau pursued painting through exploration and self-study. His early artworks emerged and were progressively embraced with deep appreciation by art enthusiasts. The color palettes in Mai Chau's paintings are gentle yet profound, seamlessly connecting the past with the present, the old with the new, and joy with sorrow.
Recently, I have come across his paintings in various Lieu Quan publications, including pieces like Thuy Van Mountain - Thanh Duyen Pagoda, The Mist-Shrouded Tower, and Linh Mu in the Sun. These works showcase masterful, ethereal, and fluid brushstrokes deeply imbued with Zen philosophy.
Painter Mai Chau, whose real name is Mai Quang Chau, was born in 1935 in Kim Long, Hue. A graduate of Hue University of Education, he taught at Tran Quy Cap High School in Hoi An, and later at Dong Khanh Girls' High School (now Hai Ba Trung High School). He taught himself painting in 1970 and began creating art in 1980; today, his works are held by numerous domestic and international collectors.
Zen lotus and compassion that remains
Although painter Than Van Huy (1948–2024) passed away, his oil paintings continue to evoke deep emotions and leave a lasting impression on art enthusiasts whenever the Vesak season arrives. Inside the cozy atmosphere of his ancient nhà rường (traditional wooden house) nestled along the Huong River in Thanh Tien Village, Duong No Ward, dozens of his oil works are neatly and beautifully displayed, including seven pieces themed around lotuses, and lotuses with young women.
In particular, the lotuses in Than Van Huy’s paintings were inspired by the five-colored lotuses from the Lotus Sutra. Among them, the blue lotus symbolizes the purity of wisdom, while the pink lotus represents the innocence of the heart and compassion. “The paper lotuses from Than Van Huy’s hands are blossoms of consciousness and aesthetic sense, shimmering between reality, dreams, and imagination,” Dr. Thai Kim Lan shared upon experiencing his paintings and paper lotuses.
The image of the lotus had entered Than Van Huy’s consciousness since his childhood days, when he would follow his mother and grandmother to village pagodas to worship the Buddha. “Many have praised painter Than Van Huy with beautiful words. To me, Than Van Huy is a gentle and patient painter, passionate about art, and deeply conscious of traditional folklore,” Most Venerable Thich Hai An once remarked.